But Lausch was allowed to stay on the job after an unusual push from Durbin and Duckworth, who extolled Lausch as a corruption buster who needed to see through investigations of some of the states most powerful politicians. Incumbent Democrat Michael Frerichs has had this job since 2015. Rod Blagojevich was convicted by a jury 12 years ago. Watching Foxx and Pfannkuche debate,we were struck by what a good team they would make. The question he asks repeatedly do you feel safer than you did three years ago? Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. This is not an easy choice for Baltimore voters, but Mr. Bates gives Baltimore its best chance to break the cycle of violence. J.B. Pritzkers pandemic-related executive orders. We support the rights of unions to represent their members. . In that primary race we endorsed Democrat Kim Foxx, who had spent 12 years as an assistant state's attorney, mostly in juvenile court. Why Mr. Tong? He didnt. Republican. We believe Ivan Bates is that person. Amid that turmoil, Lausch was also leading his office through the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, which virtually shut down the courthouse for a significant period, led to difficulties assembling grand juries to hear cases and has left a backlog of criminal defendants awaiting trial. "This is a slate that represents the values . Under Lightfoot's leadership, thefts, burglaries and robberies increased in high numbers especially between 2022 and 2023 while her relationship with the teachers' union turned . Read part two of the Tribunes endorsements for Illinois House here. During a debate at the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board, Democratic candidate for Cook County state's attorney Kim Foxx and Republican candidate Christopher Pfannkuche address how the. An early voting location at the Loop Super Site on June 23, 2022. 9th District: Matt Podgorski 15th District: No endorsement 17th District: Elizabeth "Liz" Doody Gorman Find a downloadable, printable list of Chicago Tribune election endorsements and. Indictments stemming from the probe are expected soon, his office said. ], [[Dont miss] See how candidates for governor answered our questions plus who the Tribune Editorial Board endorsed], [[Dont miss] Editorial: 175 years of editorials and counting]. Democratic voters so disapproved of how the current state's attorney, Anita Alvarez, handled the Laquan McDonald case that they rejected her primary election bid for a third four-year term. I was exhausted., Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Yes, it's easy for her critics to pounce now, knowing the things we all know. On Thursday morning, about 100 people walked the two blocks from St. Gall Catholic Church in Gage Park, paying their respects at the block where Chicago police Officer Andres Vasquez-Lasso was shot and killed Wednesday. All rights reserved, Indiana State Trooper Struck and Killed by Suspect During Police Chase, Chicago FOP Lodge Reelects John Catanzara as President, New Ranking Names Most Expensive Cities In Illinois and These Chicago Suburbs Top the List, Chicago Suburb Lands on List of Happiest Places to Live,' Another Midwest City Makes Top 10, Chicago-Area Counties Under Winter Storm Advisories and Warnings, Actor Tom Sizemore, of Saving Private Ryan,' Dies at 61. A defensive stalwart, Oswego Easts Tyler Jasek surprises Joliet West. A Foxx spokesperson released a statement that said Montano did not have a criminal record, nor did prosecutors have evidence to support a gun charge. Even among those who did not support him politically, he engendered trust during some of the darkest hours in the history of this great state. She has experience in helping to administer a $4 billion government. Sophia King's whose constituency consists of both portions of downtown and struggling neighborhoods, "giving her experience on both sides of one of Chicagos most vexing and self-defeating battlefronts.". When were looking at the drivers of violence, weve seen a lot of it relate to turf and social media and retaliation upon retaliation. We trust that she could connect with people in those violence-ravaged communities. The suspicion that Alvarez could and should have moved faster may help explain why 71 percent of Cook County respondents in a Tribune poll said they weren't satisfied with her handling of this case. Disclaimer | (The Baltimore Sun video). Contact, who can i contact at the ohio attorney general about queen of hearts, what is the name of the prosecuting attorney in guernsey county ohio, how can i be power of attorney over my mother inlaw, who is thedeputy state's attorney anne arundel county, how to prepare for a meeting with estate attorney?trackid=sp-006, what does submit a review in an attorney page, who does chicago tribune endorse for attorney general. In an unrelated case last year, Montano was charged on July 30 with a misdemeanor count of resisting a peace officer for allegedly running from an officer who stopped a car he was in, according to court documents. As the candidates for Cook County state's attorney debated the handling of the Laquan McDonald case before the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board on Feb. 4, 2016, incumbent Anita Alvarez defended her investigation, saying, "I don't believe any mistakes were made." Second, in that session with our editorial board, we tried to make sure Foxx is running for chief prosecutor, not for public defender (actually an appointed post). We think Foxx, by contrast, in time would rebuild the public's trust. iowa total care number chicago tribune state's attorney endorsement. A similar move in Portland, Oregon, had led to widespread denouncement after unidentified federal agents wearing camouflage uniforms were recorded making arrests. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The board touched on a recent Harris poll that noted many Chicagoans are pessimistic about the state of the city following an election season, highlighting the fears many have regarding public safety, as homicides reached the highest level in decades in 2021. One of her Democratic opponents, former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, has picked up endorsements from at least four sitting members of Congress, including Rep. Jess "Chuy" Garcia, as well. How rigorously oversight boards pursue accusations of officer misconduct. He knows how to operate in it, he said. He can shoot it., Justin Steele and 6 Chicago Cubs relievers combine for the 1st spring training no-hitter in franchise history, Leah Palmer experiences grand time as Geneva grinds out victory in Class 4A third-place game. But not his teammates. The driver of the vehicle has been charged with felony counts of illegal gun possession, and the case is still pending., Vallas told reporters on Thursday that Foxxs office is not getting serious with the gun crimes.. While the board praised Lightfoot's leadership in the COVID-19 pandemic and work in initiatives to improve equity in struggling neighborhoods, she faced criticism for being reluctant to any changes in city leadership, most notably toward embattled CPD Superintendent David Brown. Read part two of the Tribunes endorsements for Illinois Senate here. Click here to download a PDF of our bedsheet ballot, which lists all of the candidates the editorial board is endorsing in the general election. Since Lausch took over, his office has charged more than 80 reputed gang members under the federal racketeering statute, which brings hefty mandatory minimum sentences and in some cases can carry the death penalty. In the Illinois Supreme Courts Third District, which picks up Will and Kankakee counties, Democrat Justice Thomas Kilbride is on the ballot for retention to a 10-year term. But, year after year, hundreds of young people are slaughtered in those communities by stone-cold killers who should be ostracized and punished. Any incumbent's re-election ought never be an entitlement. One of Lisa Madigans biggest shortcomings when she served as Illinois attorney general from 2003 to 2019 was her unwillingness to pursue public corruption cases, principally because of the conflict posed by her father, Michael Madigan, who wielded enormous clout as House speaker and chief of the Illinois Democratic Party. Foxx understands that disconnect; wanting to heal it is her most compelling rationale for seeking the office. He died while protecting Chicago and its people. U.S. Attorney John Lausch, center, prepares to speak to reporters on Sept. 14, 2022, at the Dirksen U.S. Weve got to be more aggressive about working with the U.S. attorneys office to bypass the states attorneys office when the states attorney whoever the states attorney is is refusing to charge, Vallas said. This is yet another example of why we need to make sure that we are dealing with the immediate challenge of violence in the city of Chicago, which my plan speaks to that, while also getting at the root causes. If the treasurer is Illinois primary investment manager, the comptroller is the states main bill payer, with control over Springfields checking account. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) Nine sitting or. Preceding him are four former Senate Democratic colleagues, Thomas Cullerton, Terry Link, Annazette Collins and Martin Sandoval (who died in 2020); a former GOP state senator, Sam McCann; former House Speaker and Democratic kingmaker Michael Madigan; and onetime Democratic state Reps. Luis Arroyo and Eddie Acevedo. Both final mayoral candidates touched on the death of Vasquez-Lasso on the first full day of campaigning ahead of the April 4 matchup, with Paul Vallas, who ran on a tough-on-crime platform, criticizing Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx for dismissing misdemeanor charges against the suspect, Montano, in November. At the same time, we have to acknowledge that she did not have the evidence to sustain the heavy charges she brought against the officers in the Gray case; her assertion that she would do nothing differently if given the chance is simply bizarre given the trials outcomes. But not his teammates. We endorse a no vote. (Chicago Tribune), A defensive stalwart, Oswego Easts Tyler Jasek surprises Joliet West. -Duckworth has received endorsements from the Chicago Tribune and Daily Herald. He can shoot it., Justin Steele and 6 Chicago Cubs relievers combine for the 1st spring training no-hitter in franchise history, Leah Palmer experiences grand time as Geneva grinds out victory in Class 4A third-place game. When she debated Pfannkuche before the Tribune Editorial Board, Foxx appeared more focused than she was in her primary campaign on the horrific killings by the hundreds in poor Chicago neighborhoods each year. Find a downloadable, printable list of Chicago Tribune election endorsements and candidates responses to our questionnaires here. During a debate at the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board, Democratic candidate for Cook County state's attorney Kim Foxx and Republican candidate Christopher Pfannkuche address how the Laquan McDonald case degraded the integrity of theoffice. Nine sitting or recent members of the Illinois General Assembly have been charged with federal crimes since 2019. I take the liberty of reproducing the Tribune's subcircuit endorsement editorial in full.The Tribune made endorsements Sunday in countywide races for the Cook County Circuit Court. Theyre more factionalized. It makes more sense for voters to try and figure out which candidate will best improve this most customer-service oriented of public offices. TAKE THIS WITH YOU to the voting booth. He is well respected in the legal community, and we believe he would be able to recruit and retain skilled prosecutors while developing a relationship with the police that strikes the appropriate balance between partnership and accountability. Amendment One We endorse a no vote. A nominee of Republican President Donald Trump, Lausch was originally asked by the incoming Biden administration to step down from his post in 2021 along with other Trump holdovers. They are my family, and Im their family as well, Cuellar said. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com. She has to try to unseat Tammy Duckworth, a heroic American who was awarded the Purple Heart after she lost her right leg and much of her left leg during her military service in Iraq in 2004, when the Black Hawk helicopter she was co-piloting was hit by a grenade. Across Chicago and the rest of the state, people mourned the fallen officer, the first Chicago Police Department member shot and killed in the line of duty since Ella French was killed during a traffic stop in August 2021. Foxx talks eagerly and easily about police misconduct cases and whether too many people are in prison. Our editorials seek to help readers make sound decisions. Democratic candidate for Cook County state's attorney Kim Foxx and Republican candidate Christopher Pfannkuche give their closing statements to the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board on Sept. 13, 2016. DeVore, who has the words freedom and liberty tattooed to his forearms, is best known for pursuing a series of challenges to Gov. Foley, who served as an Army chaplain in Afghanistan for four deployments spanning over five years beginning in 2009, said hes accustomed to violence, though still not comfortable with it. The paper also expounds on the need for the next states attorney to serve as a bridge between crime-riddled communities and law enforcement. [Dont miss] Illinois primary 2022: What to know before Tuesdays Election Day, [Dont miss] See how all the candidates answered our questions plus who the Tribune Editorial Board endorsed. Jun 16 2022. chicago tribune state's attorney endorsement That's the case Republican Christopher Pfannkuche (pronounced fon-COOK) makes for electing him chief prosecutor. In Springfields post-Michael Madigan era, how much of a dent can Republicans make into the viselike grip that Democrats have on the Illinois House of Representatives? He once griped in a Facebook post about an episode at a basketball game in which students struggled to give him correct change at a concession stand, the Tribune reported last month. David Shestokas gets our endorsement for Illinois Attorney General. Raoul shares our concerns. The board noted that Congressman Chuy Garcia's platform was too vague to issue an endorsement, while noting they were troubled by his associations with former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. And Orland Park constitutional attorney David Shestokas, a former congressional candidate, is back on the campaign trail after arguing alongside Rudy Giuliani in 2020 with false claims that votes in Pennsylvania and beyond were illegitimately counted to prevent former President Donald Trump from winning a second term. Read the full editorial here. U.S. Attorney John Lausch, center, prepares to speak to reporters on Sept. 14, 2022, at the Dirksen U.S. Kim Foxx is challenging Anita Alvarez in the March primary race for Cook County state's attorney. The politically charged issue of Chicago violence came to a head again two years later, when Mayor Lori Lightfoot in 2020 threatened to sue after Trump announced he was sending federal agents to Chicago to tackle violent crime, which she said was done without her permission. Lauschs five-plus years on the high-octane job exceeds the terms of many of his predecessors, including Fardon, who served as U.S. attorney for about 3 years beginning in 2013 before leaving for a private Chicago law firm. Judge O'Malley began her legal career as an assistant state's attorney in Baltimore County, spending a decade in the criminal courts, prosecuting cases involving drug conspiracy, murders,. Too often his response to critics is to simply sue them. (Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune). Courthouse in Chicago after verdicts were reached in the trial of singer R. Kelly. I know the commander there, and I know some of the officers, so I went over and offered my services and paid (my) respects.. U.S. Attorney John Lausch submitted his formal resignation Wednesday stating hell be leaving his high-profile post as Chicagos top federal prosecutor later this month. Paul Vallas, 69, the former head of Chicago Public Schools, secured 34% of the vote, followed by Brandon Johnson, 46, who serves . 74th District: Liandro Li Arellano, Jr. 17th District: Elizabeth Liz Doody Gorman. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.